Montana State University
Northern Arizona
Semansky Paces MSU Women as Bobcats Win 7th Straight Game
1/15/2011 5:29:55 PM | Women's Basketball
Montana State sophomore Rachel Semansky recorded a career-high 26 points and matched a career-best 13 rebounds to lift the Bobcats to an 82-70 win over Northern Arizona, Saturday afternoon.
Montana State sophomore Rachel Semansky recorded a career-high 26 points and matched a career-best 13 rebounds to lift the Bobcats to an 82-70 win over Northern Arizona, Saturday afternoon.
The victory was Montana State's (9-8, 3-0) seventh straight win and is the longest for MSU since the 2003 Bobcats posted eight straight.
Semansky (Highwood) connected on 11-13 from the field, and added three assists and three steals.
“We knew a key heading into the game was post play,” said MSU head coach Tricia Binford. “I couldn't be any prouder of the way Rachel and Sarah (Balian) battled. Rachel was an animal on the glass, and for both of them to play 35-37 minutes just shows how tough they are and what a great effort they gave us.”
Balian, a senior from Shoreline, Wash., finished with 15 points and seven rebounds.
MSU opened the game building a 30-17 advantage at the 9:01 mark on a Semansky field-goal, but Northern Arizona (7-10, 2-2) answered with a 17-6 run to cut the margin to 36-34 with 1:31 left in the opening period.
A Balian layup on an in-bounds play with two-seconds left gave Montana State a 41-36 cushion at intermission.
MSU is 9-0 when leading at halftime this season.
The Bobcats opened the second stanza building a double-digit lead at the 16:30 mark on a Lyndi Seidensticker layup.
The Lumberjacks chopped the margin to 56-53 with 10:28 left, but MSU responded with a 15-5 run to put the game out of reach.
“It seemed every time we needed a clutch basket, we got one,” Binford said. “I really like our balance. To have four starters in double-figures and the fifth with double-figure assists shows that our offense is really clicking.”
Also in double-figure scoring for the Bobcats were Katie Bussey 17 and Seidensticker 15. True-freshman Ausha Cole dished out a career-high 10 assists, while adding three steals and three rebounds.
For the game, MSU shot 50 percent from the field and connected on seven three-pointers.
NAU was led by Amy Patton with 24 points and seven rebounds.
Montana State will play at Weber State on Monday night
